Son Of Boston Cop Allegedly Planned Terror Attack On College Campus
BOSTON, July 13 (UPI) — The 23-year-old son of a Boston police captain is accused of buying a pressure cooker and four firearms with the intent to launch a terror attack at a college campus in support of the Islamic State, law enforcement says.
FBI agents arrested Anthony Ciccolo — aka Ali Al Amriki — after he allegedly received firearms from a cooperating witness, who told law enforcement the man expressed support of IS — also identified as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL.
Court documents indicate Ciccolo, of Adams, Mass., and the witness met and spoke on several occasions about a plan to obtain firearms and build improvised explosive devices for an attack originally scheduled to take place at a police station. Ciccolo later changed the location to a bar near a state university, and again later changed it to a cafeteria at the university, which he allegedly described as “very sinful and has a crowd.”
The name of the university was not revealed.
Law enforcement said Ciccolo was documented purchasing a pressure cooker — which he allegedly planned to use to make a bomb — and a search of his residence after his arrested turned out Molotov cocktails in the process of being made. When he was arrested, he allegedly had in his possession a .223 Colt AR-15 rifle, a 556 Sig Arms SG550 rifle, a 9mm Glock 17 handgun and a 10mm Glock 20 handgun.
During his recorded conversations with the witness, Ciccolo allegedly expressed admiration for an assailant in the June 26 attack at a beach-side resort in Tunisia, which killed dozens of people.
“That is a huge accomplishment I think,” Ciccolo reportedly said.
Police arrested him July 4, at which time he told FBI agents he supported IS. He was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.
Meanwhile, during a routine medical screening at the Franklin County House of Correction, Ciccolo allegedly grabbed a pen and stabbed a nurse in the head. The attack was so forceful, the pen broke in half.
Ciccolo is the son of Boston Police Capt. Robert Ciccolo, was one of the first officers on the scene during the 2013 bombings at the Boston Marathon, WHDH-TV in Boston reported.
